The Singapore Civil Defence Force has filed a police report against 5 of its full-time national servicemen over a leaked photo showing the scene of an incident where a Singapore Armed Forces full-time national serviceman was run over and killed by a Bionix fighting vehicle.
The 5 SCDF NSFs are alleged to have taken the photo (above) and circulated it.
The photo shows the Bionix vehicle on top of the crushed Land Rover which SAF NSF Corporal First Class Liu Kai was driving on Saturday (3 Nov).
SCDF officers had been called to the Jalan Murai training area where the incident happened, but were unable to save his life.
SCDF said 2 of its NSFs who responded to the accident took unauthorised photos of the scene, and they then sent the photos to some of their fellow NSFs via a WhatsApp chatgroup.
Three of the NSFs who received the photos allegedly forwarded them to their friends, and 1 of the photos later appeared on social media.
SCDF said that the police report was filed against the NSFs for their “unauthorised actions”.
After the photo went viral on social media, the public began to demand greater accountability from the MINDEF, with many questioning whether the SAF’s official statement regarding CFC Liu’s death downplayed the severity of the situation.
A second leaked photo which made its rounds on social media intensified public scrutiny over the incident.
MINDEF has launched its own investigation into the leaked photos.
The ministry said that “all personnel provided access to SAF training grounds are subject to the restrictions placed on unauthorised photography or videography,” adding that “offenders will be prosecuted to ensure that these strict rules to guard our security are not compromised.”
Below is the official statement issued by MINDEF regarding the incident:
